Luckily for us, our planet-mates-the fantastic meshwork of plants, animals, and microbes--have been patiently perfecting their wares since, an incredible 3.8 billion years since the first bacteria.In that time, life has learned to fly, circumnavigate the globe, live in the depths of the ocean and atop the highest peaks, craft miracle materials, light up the night, lasso the sun's energy, and build a self-reflective brain. Collectively, organisms have managed to turn rock and salted water into a life- friendly home, with steady temperatures and smoothly percolating cycles. In short, living things have done everything we want to do, without guzzling fossil fuel, polluting the planet, or mortgaging their future. What better models could there be for us looking for innovations in industries?